Who was Reyna? What other secrets did she carry?
“Reyna...” I began, but the words lodged in my throat, inadequate and feeble.
“I’ll explain later, Roman,” she interrupted. “We have to move now.”
I shifted Olivia in my arms, her pale face contrasting the deepening shadows around us. Osman approached, mouth set in a grim line. Gently, I handed her over to him, my hands lingering on her cool skin, feeling the slow pulse at her throat. She was alive, but barely.
“Be careful with her,” I murmured.
Osman nodded, cradling Olivia with tenderness. I mounted the horse and reached down as Osman lifted Olivia up to me. Her body was limp, her chest rising and falling with faint breaths that tugged at my heartstrings. I held her close.
“Stay with me, Olivia,” I said.
Behind me, Malik’s grip on the baby tightened, his hands trembling as the lingering effects of the eclipse left him sapped of strength. He passed the newborn to Reyna with great effort, the small bundle seeming impossibly fragile in the transition.
“You’re still not recovered from the eclipse,” Reyna said, her voice firm but tinged with concern as she cradled the baby.
“Let me at least drive the horses!” Malik said, his pride battling his physical frailty.
“Fine,” Reyna said, though her eyes spoke volumes of her doubts. She watched him climb onto the buckboard and take the reins with determination.
I adjusted Olivia in front of me, one arm wrapped around her back while the other gripped the reins. For a moment, my gaze met Reyna’s as she climbed into the wagon beside Malik, the baby secure in her embrace. Her expression was unreadable, a mask that concealed whatever thoughts churned behind those sharp eyes.
“Let’s move out,” I called, my voice steady despite the chaos.
The horse beneath me responded to the subtle pressure of my heels, and we surged forward, Osman falling in line behind us, his mount stepping carefully over the uneven terrain. The clatter of wagon wheels joined the rhythmic hoofbeats as we left the chaos of the cave behind, the grim silence of our group broken only by the occasional creak of the wagon and the soft, distressed murmurs of the baby.
The shadows of the trees blurred past as we pressed on, each of us lost in our grim contemplations. Olivia’s limp form was a weight against my chest—both physical and emotional—her shallow breaths barely perceptible. My heart raced with dread, urgency driving me onward as fear threatened to consume me.
“I don’t know who you are, Reyna, but thank you,” I said, my voice cutting through the wind that whipped against my face.
Reyna nodded, her focus on the infant cradled in her arms. The baby’s tiny fists flailed weakly, a soft wail escaping her lips before Reyna murmured soothing words too low for me to catch. Her practiced motions only deepened the mystery of who this woman was—and how much more she might be hiding.
As the estate’s towering silhouette emerged through the thinning woods, hope fought against the fear clutching my chest. The familiar grounds loomed ahead, promising aid and safety, though the weight of uncertainty hung heavy in the air.
“Osman!” I called, barely slowing my horse as we approached the gates, now swung wide in welcome.
Osman urged his horse closer, reaching for Olivia with gentle hands. Her pallor was haunting, her once vibrant complexion now ghostly under the cloudy skies.
“We need a doctor!” My shout echoed across the courtyard, carrying the weight of desperation.
After I dismounted, I snatched Olivia back into my embrace and bounded toward the grand entryway, the doors thrown wide in anticipation of our arrival.
“Clear a path!” I bellowed, and servants scrambled aside as I carried Olivia upstairs; their faces blanched with shock at the sight of her bloodied gown and unresponsive state.
Reyna followed close behind, the baby now quiet in her arms. Her heels clicked a steady rhythm against the marble steps, a dramatic difference from the erratic pounding of my boots as I ascended.
“Please,” I whispered to no one in particular, “let her be saved.”
Once I laid Olivia on the bed, the infant began to wail, her cries cutting through the tense silence of the room.
“The baby is hungry,” Reyna said.
Without hesitation, I took Luna from Reyna, cradling her awkwardly against my chest as I rushed down the hall. Bursting into Emily’s chambers, I found her sitting in bed, her face softening as she saw the bundle in my arms.
“Oh, my goodness, Roman,” Emily said, her voice tinged with relief and wonder. “Olivia had the baby. Give her here.”
Her outstretched arms were a lifeline, and I gently transferred the newborn into her embrace. “Please, feed her,” I said, my voice barely audible over my heart pounding. I didn’t wait for a response, already turning on my heel and sprinting back to Olivia’s room, the echo of my boots chasing me down the corridor.
